The day dawned fairly enough, and during the early part we had some
pleasant hours to improve acquaintance in the open air; but towards
nightfall the wind freshened, the rain began to fall, and the sea
rose so high that it was difficult to keep ones footing on the deck.
I have spoken of our concerts. We were indeed a musical ship's
company, and cheered our way into exile with the fiddle, the
accordion, and the songs of all nations. Good, bad, or indifferent -
Scottish, English, Irish, Russian, German or Norse, - the songs were
received with generous applause. Once or twice, a recitation, very
spiritedly rendered in a powerful Scottish accent, varied the
proceedings; and once we sought in vain to dance a quadrille, eight
men of us together, to the music of the violin. The performers were
all humorous, frisky fellows, who loved to cut capers in private
life; but as soon as they were arranged for the dance, they conducted
themselves like so many mutes at a funeral. I have never seen
decorum pushed so far; and as this was not expected, the quadrille
was soon whistled down, and the dancers departed under a cloud.
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